Les Couleurs du Monde (An Enjolras Les Misérables Fanfiction)

Chapter XVI ~ A Close Call / Drink With Me

Glimpses through the barricade revealed a lone figure approaching from the far end of the narrow street. The figure came into lamplight. It was Jean Valjean, in a soldier's jacket. The student sentries leveled their guns. Gavroche, who was back from his errand, ran out from the Café Musain, followed by Elise.

Valjean exclaimed, "Don't shoot!"

Joly said, "Here comes a man in uniform! What brings you to this place?"

Valjean replied, "I come here as a volunteer."

"Approach and show your face!" ordered Joly.

"You wear an army uniform." observed Jehan.

Valjean nodded. "That's why they let me through."

The student sentries opened the slot in the barricade to let Valjean enter.

Joly spoke. "You've got some years behind you, sir."

"There's much that I can do." assured Valjean

"You see that prisoner over there?" Joly pointed to Javert, who was in a dark corner, with his hands tied. "A volunteer like you! He's a spy who calls himself Javert. He's going to get it too."

Javert looked up and meets Valjean's eyes in a steady gaze.

Gavroche recognized Valjean from the errand Marius had sent him to do an hour earlier, exclaiming, "Don't shoot! I know him! He's no soldier!"

Suddenly Valjean spotted a couple of snipers creeping over the roofs to gain an angle of attack them. They were aiming at Enjolras. Swiftly Valjean grabbed a gun and shot up at them, sending them scattering. Elise gasped as she followed Valjean's sight to the soldier's and realized they were indeed aiming for Enjolras. Quickly, other students joined in and the snipers were driven back.

There was a burst of gunfire from both ends of the street as a brief fire fight ensues. The snipers have soon disappeared.

Enjolras turned to Valjean, now with a trusting gaze. "For your presence of mind, for the deed you have done, I will thank you, M'sieur, when our battle is won."

"Give me no thanks, M'sieur.

There's something you can do." said Valjean.

Enjolras replied, "If it is in my power."

"Give me the spy Javert! Let me take care of him." Valjean offered. Javert heard this with a sort of grim satisfaction.

"The law is inside out. The world is upside down." murmured Javert.

Enjolras glanced from the spy to Valjean. "Do what you have to do. The man belongs to you."

He turned to his little army. "The enemy may be regrouping! Hold yourselves in readiness! Come, my friends, back to your positions! The dawn is breaking fast."

Valjean took Javert out the back of the Cafe Musain. He carried a knife.

While the students were reassuming their positions, Elise walked up to Enjolras, her brows knit. "Enjolras, that was too close. We must be more careful. What would I do without you?" she whispered, gently putting her small hand around the side of Enjolras' face.

"I promise I'll be more careful, Elise. Besides, I'm too stubborn to die," Enjolras smiled, giving her a gentle kiss that was interrupted by a loud gunshot that made her turn back towards the back of the Musain where the two men had exited.

Her father was now dead. Elise gulped, looking away from there and back at Enjolras, who gave her a last quick kiss on the forehead before turning to his men. "Courfeyrac, you take the watch, They may attack before it's light. Everybody keep the faith, for certain as our banner flies, we are not alone. The people too must rise!"

Marius was manically working to raise the height of one of the smaller barricades.

Enjolras turned to the boy. "Marius, rest."

All the students sat on the barricade. near the bottom sat Enjolras and Elise, side by side, with Gavroche sitting in Elise's lap. She was now the closest thing he had left of his sister.

Grantaire drunkenly started singing a drinking song and it is taken up more seriously by Feuilly. Bottles were passed around, and was only refused by Elise, who insisted on not drinking.

"Drink with me to days gone by!" Grantaire sang as his fingers mindlessly tapped the keys of a broken piano.

Feuilly continued, "Sing with me the songs we knew!"

"Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads!" sighed Jehan.

"Here's to witty girls who went to our beds!" smiled Joly.

Here's to them

And here's to you!

"Drink with me to days gone by!" sang Grantaire. "Can it be you fear to die? Will the world remember you when you fall? Can it be your death means nothing at all? Is your life just one more lie?"Grantaire glared at Enjolras and left, entering the Café Musain.

Drink with me

To days gone by!

To the life

That used to be!

At the shrine of friendship

Never say die...

Let the wine of friendship

Never run dry!

Here's to you

And here's to me!

Elise sighed when the song ended. The little street urchin had his head resting against Elise's breast as he was falling asleep, his head rising and falling with Elise's soft breaths.

Enjolras looked over at them and was struck by a thought that he'd never had before. There, seeing Elise gently pat Gavroche's head as he slept, Enjolras could see that Elise would have been a wonderful and caring mother if they were ever to have children. His mind seemed to do a double-take as he thought this. Enjolras had never had the desire to start a family ever before, so this was a strange thought to him.

But then again, he hadn't believed in love until this kind and beautiful chocolate-haired and hazel-eyed young woman had stepped into the Café on that first day. He now realized how nice it would have been to have a family, but although he'd never admit it, he knew that the rebels were far outnumbered, and that whatever may have happened in his life might not ever have a chance to happen. But if the revolution did have a good end, that would mean a great future for them.

Elise glanced over at Enjolras. "What?" she giggled as she leaned closer to him, holding gently onto Gavroche.

"Nothing." Enjolras dismissed.

"Come on," sighed Elise with a grin. She looked in the pocket of Enjolras' coat she was wearing and pulled out a sou. "Sou for your thoughts?"

A pink blush creeped onto Enjolras' face before he spoke. "I was thinking about how nice it'd be to start a family when this is all over."

Elise was silent for a moment as she was taken by surprise before giggling and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispering, "Wouldn't it be nice?"

(( Whoops. My feels just poured out. I have a lot of feelings in my soul that are useless becouse I have no life so this is what I do instead. Love ya'll. ))